PA · Athens, West Virginia · public
Concord University Physician Assistant Program prerequisites
What Concord University asks for in the 2026-27 cycle, as read from the school's own admissions page. 15 lines differ from the standard PA school set, marked below.
Coursework
- Biology with labrequiredextra here
1 semester · 4 credits · lab
"General Biology with lab, 1 semester (4 credits)." One semester only on the traditional pathway, where the Fast Track list asks for Foundations of Biology I and II.
- General chemistry with labrequireddiffers
6 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
Both semesters are required but the lab is named on only one: "General Chemistry I, 1 semester (3-4 credits)" and "General Chemistry II with lab, 1 semester (3-4 credits)." Six to eight credits across the sequence, inside the ten year window.
- Biochemistryrequireddiffers
1 semester · 3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
One line covers two subjects and either satisfies it: "Organic Chemistry I or Biochemistry with lab, 1 semester (3-4 credits)." A single semester of organic chemistry is the equal of a biochemistry course here, the lab is named, and no second organic semester is asked for. Inside the ten year chemistry window.
- English or writing-intensivenot required here
No English, composition or writing prerequisite appears on the traditional pathway course list.
- Statisticsrequired
1 semester · 3 credits
"Statistics, 1 semester (3 credits)." The Fast Track list, which describes the same requirement for Concord's own students, names "Statistics or Behavioral Statistics." This sits alongside, not instead of, the additional mathematics course.
- College mathematicsrequiredextra here
1 semester · 3 credits
A second mathematics course sits beside statistics: "Additional Math (one course): College Algebra, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, or Calculus, 1 semester (3 credits)." Statistics does not answer this line, and the accepted set stops at those four courses.
- Psychologyrequireddiffers
2 semesters · 6 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 3 credits.
Two courses, not one: "Psychology (two courses), 2 semesters (6 credits)." The Fast Track version of the same requirement names Intro to Psychology plus one of Life Span Development, Health Psychology, Physiological Psychology or Psychopathology as recommended for the second course. Psychology is not on the ten year recency list, so an older course still counts.
- Anatomy and physiologyrequireddiffers
6 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 2 semesters · 8 credits · lab.
Listed as two separate one semester courses, "Human Anatomy with lab, 1 semester (3-4 credits)" and "Human Physiology with lab, 1 semester (3-4 credits)," so six to eight credits in total, both with lab. The combined route is allowed with one condition: "Combined Human Anatomy and Physiology courses are acceptable if they are completed at the same institution." Both fall inside the ten year recency window.
- Microbiologyrequireddiffers
3 credits · lab
Most PA programmes ask for 1 semester · 4 credits · lab.
"Microbiology with lab, 1 semester (3-4 credits)," inside the ten year window. In person labs are highly recommended.
- Medical terminologyrequireddiffers
1 credits
Most PA programmes ask for 1 credits and list it as recommended.
Required here rather than recommended: "Medical Terminology, 1 semester (1-3 credits)." It must carry a letter grade of C or better like any other prerequisite, and it is the one non science course inside the ten year recency window.
Experience hours
- Patient care experiencerecommendeddiffers
500+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 500+ hours and list it as required.
Concord publishes no minimum and does not separate patient care from healthcare experience, listing them together as one item: "Healthcare or direct patient care experience, while there is not a set number of hours required, applicants with little to no hours are less likely to be selected for an interview." Healthcare experience is scored in the rubric under motivation for being a PA and perseverance. Read the warning literally: no number to clear, but an empty experience section effectively ends the application. Fast Track applicants get slack the traditional pathway does not, being "eligible for an interview with a lower application score," and are told they must complete a defined number of hours after acceptance.
- Healthcare experiencerecommended
500+ hours
The same single line covers this bucket. Concord does not split patient care from healthcare experience and gives one combined expectation with no hours attached: "Healthcare or direct patient care experience, while there is not a set number of hours required, applicants with little to no hours are less likely to be selected for an interview." Because the program does not draw the line itself, no separate figure can honestly be recorded on either bucket.
- PA shadowingrequireddiffers
40+ hours
Most PA programmes ask for 20+ hours and list it as recommended.
A hard requirement rather than a suggestion, and PA specific: "40 PA-specific shadow hours (If you have or do work alongside a or under PA, you may consider hours with them. Please be sure to still fill in the shadow hours tab and include the PA's contact information)." Time working under a PA can be counted here, but the hours still have to be entered in CASPA's shadowing section with the PA's contact details.
- Non-clinical volunteeringrecommendedextra here
No published minimum
No hours attached, but weighted in the rubric under program fit: "Community Service of all types will strengthen your application." Leadership is listed the same way, and both are read at interview as evidence of program fit alongside the personal statement and letters. The program's mission is rural and underserved care, and community service is one of its five stated program goals.
Letters
- Science faculty letternot required here
No faculty or science professor letter is named among the three references.
- PA letterrecommendeddiffers
1 letter
Most PA programmes publish no minimum.
"Three reference letters, in which at least one must be from a medical professional, preferably a physician assistant." The requirement is a medical professional, so a physician, nurse practitioner or other clinician satisfies it; the PA is the stated preference, not the rule. The other two writers are unspecified. Letters are scored twice in the rubric, once under academic preparedness and again under motivation and program fit.
- Supervisor letternot required here
Not required. Only one of the three references is specified, a medical professional, and Concord does not say the writer must have supervised your work.
Also on the school’s page
Concord runs two pathways and this file records the Traditional one, the pathway that goes through CASPA; the Fast Track pathway is for current Concord students, applies through the university's own graduate portal, and asks for a slightly different course list. The GPA floors are "A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2" and "A minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0," both read off CASPA's numbers rather than the school's: "The CU PA program utilizes the CASPA-calculated GPA for consideration of eligibility into the program." Every prerequisite needs "A grade of 'C' or higher," "All prerequisite courses must have a letter grade," and "Pass/Fail courses will not be accepted." Unusually, AP credit is allowed: "Advanced Placement (AP) credit awarded by the institution will be accepted." The recency window is ten years and covers medical terminology as well as the sciences: "All science prerequisite courses (Anatomy, Physiology, Biology, Microbiology, and all Chemistry courses) and Medical Terminology must be completed within 10 years of matriculation (applicants may inquire for an exception based upon a career in the healthcare field)." You may apply well short of finished: "Applicants may apply for admission into the program with a minimum of six of the prerequisite courses in progress or outstanding at the time of their application," provided a feasible plan exists to finish before matriculation. Two softer preferences: "In-person laboratory courses are highly recommended" and "It is recommended students take courses, particularly prerequisite courses, at a four-year university." On exams, Concord is one of the minority still requiring the GRE: "GRE score within the last five years (Institutional Code: 5120)." No PA-CAT is mentioned. A bachelor's degree or higher is required prior to matriculation. Admission is rolling, up to 24 seats per cohort, and the scoring rubric is explicit about who gains ground: "Students who hold a West Virginia residency at the time of application and/or hold a Concord University degree or are a currently enrolled CU student will receive additional points on the CU PA rubric." Accreditation is Accreditation-Provisional, granted before the first cohort and "limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class," and it "does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status." No advanced placement is granted for prior experience or degrees.
School
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